Several MPs have reported their phones being snatched by terrifying bike gangs roaming the streets of London after the Labour MP Chris Webb was attacked.
A letter from the Government Whips office told politicians to be ‘wary’ around Westminster after ‘a number’ of MPs had their phones stolen nearby.
At the start of the month, Mr Webb, the MP for Blackpool South, had his phone grabbed on a quiet street by five or six people ‘cheering and laughing’ as they fled.
The ‘deadly silent’ group of balaclava-clad thugs mugged and attacked the 6ft politician, snatching his £1,400 iPhone out of his hands while he was walking back from Parliament at 10pm on November 4.
The capital is in the grip of a phone-snatching frenzy that has seen the internet dominated by clips of masked thugs swooping on unsuspecting victims before racing off on e-bikes.
Workers in Westminster told that phone theft happens daily – and not even those in government are exempt from being targets of the terrifying bike gangs.
It comes after the Government announced a crackdown on the rise in phone thefts.
In a letter sent on Tuesday, the Whips office said: ‘Colleagues should be aware that a number of MPs have had their phones snatched within the vicinity of the estate. Colleagues are reminded to be wary when not on the estate.’
The Met Police said two 16-year-old boys and three 15-year-old boys have been arrested on suspicion of robbery after Mr Webb’s incident. They have since been released on bail.
A spokesman added that there is nothing to suggest that MPs are being targeted.
There were 66,528 phone thefts recorded in London between October last year and September this year – up 40 per cent compared to 2023.
Figures show that Westminster is the worst area in the capital for phone snatching – with a shocking 22,253 incidents reported in the year leading up to September 2024.
That equates to 85.4 thefts per every 1,000 people.
Earlier this month, Mr Webb, 38, was on the phone with his wife Portia, who he told that he was going to hang up as he was in an area he didn’t know well and was apprehensive.
Moments later, criminals sped up behind him on electric bikes before swooping in and nabbing his phone in a matter of seconds.
As the gang escaped, he locked his iPhone using his Apple smartwatch and when the police came, he helped them to track the phone to a location where a person was caught with a bag of phones and arrested. His own phone was not recovered.
Recalling the harrowing incident, Mr Webb told the Mail: ‘I was walking back from Parliament on Monday evening about 10pm and had been on the phone to my wife and checking in on my son,
‘I said to my wife: ‘I’m going to put my phone away because I don’t know this area,’ before putting it in my pocket.
‘I then popped into a local shop to pick up a delivery. I had walked four or five steps after I left the shop and went to get my phone out to call her back.
‘They came up behind – they were deadly silent. They were wearing balaclavas and were on bikes.
‘The first I knew of it was when they grabbed my arms. Then they snatched the phone from my pocket and cycled off.
‘I shouted and swore at them and considered giving chase. They were cheering and laughing. I realised I was outnumbered so I left it.’
He said he was ‘shocked and frustrated’ by the ordeal, adding: ‘I’m a big lad – a 6ft 2in rugby player so I don’t normally worry about this stuff.’
The 38-year-old, who won a landslide victory in the Blackpool South by-election in May, praised the ‘swift response’ by Metropolitan Police officers following the terrifying attack.
He added: ‘I want to thank the Met Police for their swift response and support. The officers who assisted me went above and beyond. They are a remarkable credit to the force.’
Fellow MPs sent Mr Webb messages of support, including Chris Bryant who said: ‘I hope you’re OK. Sending you best wishes.’
Other Labour MPs including Kate Osborne, Josh Fenton-Glynn and Jacob Collier echoed Mr Bryant’s well wishes.
Mr Webb became the MP for Blackpool South after Labour’s massive by-election victory in May. He received 10,825 votes at the time, with the Tories embarrassingly trailing behind with just 3,218.
The MP was also the deputy police and crime commissioner for Lancashire between 2018 and 2021 and a councillor for Manchester City Council from 2015 to 2018.
Following the attack, he tweeted: ‘Luckily I have no injuries and I am ok.
‘The officers who assisted me went above and beyond,’ he said. ‘They are a remarkable credit to the force.’
Announcing a crackdown on phone mugging, the Government said 78,000 people had phones or bags grabbed from them on the streets, suggesting this is being driven by increased demand for second hand smartphones, both in the UK and overseas.
Data for the last year shows the equivalent of more than 200 snatch thefts every day in England and Wales, the highest rate in more than a decade.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said: ‘These figures are troubling and the government is determined to do whatever’s necessary to protect people entitled to walk the streets without the threat of robbery.
‘Phone companies must ensure that any stolen phones can be quickly, easily and permanently disabled, rather than re-registered for sale on the second-hand market, and we will be meeting them soon to discuss what further action is required to make that happen.
‘If we work together, government, tech companies and law enforcement can break the business model of the phone thieves and moped gangs who rely on this trade.’
Businesses in Westminster told they warn their customers, employees and tourists about the phone thefts.
Met Police commander, Owain Richards, previously told : ‘We understand the impact that mobile phone theft can have on victims – it’s an invasive and sometimes violent crime – and we’re committed to protecting Londoners and tackling this issue as we make the capital safer.
‘Met officers are targeting resources to hotspot areas, such as Westminster, Lambeth and Newham, with increased patrols and plain clothes officers which deter criminals and make officers more visibly available to members of the community.
‘We continue to use data and technology to build intelligence and track stolen items to target offenders. We are also working with phone firms to ‘design out’ the ability for phones to be reused and sold on as we seek to dismantle the criminal market that fuels robbery and theft.
‘We encourage people to report as soon as they can whenever they have been a victim of mobile phone theft, so officers can investigate swiftly.’
Criminals often use bikes and mopeds to snatch mobile phones from people, particularly at busy locations such as outside stations, shopping centres or concert venues. Often victims are approached from behind while talking or texting on phones. Criminals on mopeds or bicycles may mount the pavement to grab the phone or snatch it from the road. Sometimes when it’s a moped, a pillion passenger will snatch it.
While most thefts happen between six and ten at night, criminals operate during the day too, so always look out for what’s going on around you.
The Metropolitan Police has urged people to follow these steps to protect your phone:
Be aware of your surroundings
Use security features on your phone
Know how to identify your phone if it’s stolen
Never confront a thief or risk your own safety for the sake of your mobile
Source: The Metropolitan Police